732 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



and every now and then a courier would arrive completely out of breath, 

 from King Mtesa. He brought me the royal salaam, which, being delivered, 

 he would hurry back again like an arrow, not daring to stop till he laid my 

 response at the feet of the king. At last the palace of Mtesa came in sight, 

 built upon the north face of a hill, from which it commands a grand land- 

 scape. They told me that Mtesa was following our course with a telescope. 

 We traversed for a quarter of an hour the avenue which led up to the royal 

 residence, and presently arrived at the houses that were set apart for our use. 

 All these habitations have a common fence. They contain many interior 

 courts. My abode, specially raised for me, was exceedingly comfortable. 

 Mtesa quite fatigued me with his salutations. Happily he now began to 

 accompany them with something more substantial, for he sent me eggs, 

 bananas, rice, onions, sugar-cane, and two kids — materials for a repast which 

 outdid the best dinners of Auric at Cairo. 



" Monday, April 12. 



" My reception by King Mtesa was fixed for this morning, but the rain, 

 which never ceased to fall up to noon, delayed the ceremony. At two o'clock, 

 the weather having grown favourable, Mtesa sent me a messenger to let me 

 know that he was ready to give me audience. Having warned my camp, 

 every one proceeded to put on his freshest dress. When we were ready my 

 private Soudan soldiers appeared quite superb in their red jackets and their 

 white pantaloons. I placed myself at their head, the trumpets and drums 

 resounding. We followed an avenue from eighty to one hundred metres 

 broad, which led directly from north to south, and ended at the palace-gate 

 of Mtesa. This palace now appeared in front of us, built upon an eminence 

 which overtopped those around. On either side of the avenue were gardens 

 surrounded by enclosures, within which were the habitations of the great 

 captains and high functionaries. At the end of twenty-five minutes' walking 

 we came to the true gate of the palace. We passed, one after the other, five 

 courts, full of an endless crowd of Mtongalis, soldiers, and others. The last 

 court serves as the habitation of the Royal executioners, whose badge of 

 office consists of a cord of banana fibres exquisitely plaited. Upon entering 

 this last court, a perfectly frightful hubbub of music received us ; a thousand 

 instruments, each more barbarous than the others, brayed out in our ears the 

 most discordant and deafening sounds. The body-guard of Mtesa, equipped 

 with guns, presented arms to me. 



" The king was standing at the entrance of his reception hall. I ap- 

 proached him, and made the Turkish salutation. He stretched out his hand, 

 which I took; and then I saw to the left hand of the king a European 

 countenance tanned brown. It was a traveller, and I concluded that it must be 

 Cameron. We observed each other without at present exchanging a word. 

 King Mtesa now rose and walked into an inner apartment, where we followed 



